


Find Happiness (La Ballerina)

by PrincesaParkerina



Category: Junior Express (TV)
Genre: Ay Trans Francis, I thought I wouldn't be able to write angsty Rolando/Francis but hey voilà, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-24 19:29:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17710214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincesaParkerina/pseuds/PrincesaParkerina
Summary: Arnoldo once met a beautiful,talented Ballerina that had her dreams crushed at a young age.The great cook promised to protect her from the evils of the world and help her find happiness again.





	Find Happiness (La Ballerina)

**Author's Note:**

> I was saving this version of how Arnoldo met Francis for "Y Sobre Todo Amor" but I'm having a hard time finishing that but I will still finish it at some point.  
> The Rolando/Francis fics I've read here on ao3 are all really sweet and all but they have a severe lack of Arnoldo,come on,shipping him with Francis or not,Arnoldo's still a very prominent figure in Francis' life.  
> I'm probably the only one who has fun writing Arnoldo,he's a bastard but so fun to write.

"Rolando,stop it!" Francis giggled while the blue clad Rulo nibbled at one of his ears and pinched the other.

Late in the night,Rolando wouldn't be found on his bunk bed,Francis wouldn't be found on his either.

The talented waiter was a bit busy seated by the kitchen counter with a hell of a charming guitarist pressed against him,kissing him deeply,taking his breath away,Rolando's hands were only squeezing his waist, pulling Francis Impossibly closer and the assistant's own hands occupied on the other's shoulder and raven hair.

Rolando wasn't about to lie to himself,he liked this child's play,specially because it's Francis,someone he pined over for awhile now,but they've been dating for 5 months and he was getting a bit antsy and impatient,the blue Rulo bit Francis' thin,pale bottom lip earning a delicious,supressed moan in return from the charming waiter and he groaned,pleasure mixed with frustration perhaps,either way it got him even harder and he knew his curly-haired partner could feel it,he couldn't see Francis' blush too clear in the dim moonlight but he could feel the apprentice's face heating up against his own feverish skin,what the "rulo guapo" couldn't feel was a bulge rubbing back against his own unattended erection.

Rolando felt awful,Francis was wonderful,skilled,talented at everything he ever sets his mind to,a sweet,selfless person,cute and charming as all hell and here the guitarist is,only thinking about the possibility that the other teen might be small down there.

And how that might be why Francis have been so resistant to even make out with a handful of their clothes off.

Rolando should just already tell him he doesn't mind,that there's no way Francis wouldn't look gorgeous with his clothes off the same way he already does with them on.

Instead of voicing these thoughts to the waiter,Rolando decides on "showing his approval" by running his hands underneath the shirt of the waiter's loose bowtie pajamas,touching smooth,soft skin that tenses under his touch when the musician's hands go upwards and the tip of his fingers suddenly brush against tight fabric,oh wait.

Francis jumped from the touch,crawling backwards above the yellow counter,looking horrified.

"Rolando,¡¿que estabas a hacer?! I told you I'm not ready for this yet!" the waiter's not unusual panicked mode kicked in.

"¡Espera,Franciscocho! ¡No se vá! I'm sorry but what are you hiding something from me? Please,just tell me,I swear whatever it is I won't mind! I-I..."

Francis had turned the direction of the Storage that led to the room he shares with Arnoldo,jumping off the counter with the complete intention of fleeing the scene when Rolando pulled the curly-haired older teen by the arm,trying his hardest not to be forceful,the apprentice winced all the same.

"I...I think I love you,you shouldn't feel like you have to hide anything from me,ever,trust me." It pained Francis to hear the raw sincerity in Rolando's tone,he wanted to believe those words,he really did.

Rolando could barely see the gorgeous bright brown eyes that had a shiny hint of green to them,which makes them so unique,just like the person who owns them.

He couldn't see them clearly but he knew they had tears spilling down that do not belong there.

"Please don't say that,Rulo Rolando.You have no idea of what you're talking about! You don't know me! This was a really bad idea! All of it! I'm not-"

Francis tried to wipe his tears with the sleeves on his free arm and finally succesfully yank his other arm out of Rolando's strong grasp after a couple failed tries,he lowered his head and shrank in on himself in the same manner Rolando had seen he do a thousand other times.

"People like me are not supposed to find happiness."

Francis ran from the kitchen,sniffling and hiccuping softly,locking the door behind him.

Rolando was devastated to realize his waiter's voice didn't really show sadness,only resignation instead.

* * *

Francis tugged at the sleeves of his pajamas,breathing in and out slowly,closing his eyes shut,trying to silence his sobs before entering his and Arnoldo's room.

The raven-haired waiter inhaled and exhaled slowly and soflty just like Harmony had taught him one last time before opening his eyes and finally going through the double doors,as silent as possible,almost tip-toeing his way through the room not to wake Arnoldo up.

It backfired,the great cook was already awake,sitting up on his bunk bed,pretending to read a recipe book in the dark,he did not look happy.

"Ar- Arnoldo- señor-" 

"¿Donde estaba,Francis? Your bed is cold,you should be asleep,you have to wake up very early in the morning to prepare breakfast,you know that,don't you? Haven't I taught you anything?!" 

Arnoldo stretched the words out in a slow,patient manner.

A patience Francis knew was nowhere to be found on the man,he swallowed a lump in his throat and walked carefully in the direction of his own bed.

"S-sí,señor,usted ha me enseñado muchas cosas,including going to the kitchen to get a- a glass of water whenever I'm thirsty so I'll stay hydrated."

Francis tried in a too obviously fake chipper tone,stammering on the way to his bed,which he was,thankfully almost reaching right now.

Arnoldo only hummed in acknowledgement and patted a small empty spot on his bed,in a clear motion for his ever loyal assistant to come over,Francis gulped and did as he was instructed.

Where were his other options,really?

"Ah,I see you threw that water on your face instead,hm?" Arnoldo gave a good look at his assistant,slinging his arm over the younger's shoulder and squeezing it roughly,Francis bit his still slightly swollen bottom lip and started trying to stammer another excuse,fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

Arnoldo knew his boy was crying on the way there,he heard it,the light from his bedside lamp only confirmed it by showing the waiter's red,tear stained face and red,puffy eyes.

"Francis,callase la boca y mire en mi cara." Arnoldo said in a more serious tone,hints of nice,patient cook gone.

Francis looked down and only glimpsed briefly at Arnoldo's face with the corners of his eyes.

"Will you ever do anything I tell you to?! Look me in the face and tell me right now what's this bullcrap about never finding happiness? Where did you get that from?!" Arnoldo barked angrily,using his free hand to cup Francis' soft chin roughly and force eye contact.

"Señor,I- I-" Francis could barely register what was going on around him,so Arnoldo had heard his outburst? Does he know about him and Rolando? 

Taking a bit of pity on the trembling mess of nerves beside him,Arnoldo let go of his waiter's jaw and relaxed the strong,large arm that was still draped over the shaking teen's shoulders.

Arnoldo sighed wearily,Francis sighed in relief and both fell in somewhat comfortable silence,the cook wanted to help,he did,he rescued Francis from the "evil claws" of his worst nemesis,Giuliano,some years ago,his apprentice had been abused physically,emotionally...sexually.

It takes time to recover,a lifetime sometimes,but the great chef won't give up on his assistant any soon.

The curly-haired boy just has so much recovering and learning to do.

The monster of a man used to steal the stubborn Chef's recipes,Arnoldo only saw as fair trade to steal his Francis,but it wasn't enough.

Arnoldo swears he'll still break that man's neck next time he sees him.

Francis wouldn't even need to know.

A small content smile ghosted over Arnoldo's lips,it was gone as soon as it came but Francis still caught it,he had just gotten so good at reading this man.

"What is it,señor?" Francis was finally somewhat calm enough to speak coherently,playing absentmindedly with the loose strand of the blanket underneath them,Arnoldo's embrace was surprisingly soothing,Francis came to realize as he went to rest his head against the older man's chest,closing his eyes,Arnoldo pretended to be bothered by it,but ultimately the hand that once clutched the boy's shoulder,moved up to his gelled curls,his free hand going to rest awkwardly at the boy's soft waist.

"Oh,no és nada,sólo dime una cosa,who was it? Who said _Mi Francis_ can't find happiness?" 

"You know who,Arnoldo."

"No,no sé,would you care to remind me?" 

"No,si ya lo sabes,señor...."

"Francis-" 

"He also said I'm a freak of nature and no one would ever love me." 

Francis started shedding tears again,this time wetting Arnoldo's light blue camisole,now this did bother the "sensitive" man yet he tried his hardest to ignore it for his waiter's sake.

"Would you look at that,he was wrong." Arnoldo huffed matrer-of-factly,distractedly twirling one dark curl around his thick finger.

"How can you be so sure,Arnoldo? You're the only one who knows."

"What _I_ know it's that that fact shouldn't affect how they see you,how they feel about you in the slightest,you're still Francis,un simple Camarero who takes awhile to learn things,never does anything I say,answers back to me and that's it." 

Francis was amused by the answer,even while trying to be nice and helpful the older man just won't quit being Arnoldo,the curly-haired teen still felt deeply insecure however.

"What if they- what if _he_ doesn't see it that way,señor? I mean,I kinda lied to him or at the very least hid something very important from him." Francis curled closer against the brunet cook's chest,as if hiding from everything.

"Well,unfortunately,Francis,I'll have to break his neck,yo no hice las reglas,you know..." Arnoldo grinned down mischievously at his apprentice who chuckled sweetly,the prideful chef lifted his apprentice's chin,making the boy look up and lock gazes with the older man.

"Tomorrow I'm gonna talk to him." Arnoldo said abruptly.

"No hace falta,Arnoldo,no és necesario,te lo juro..." Francis tried,fully knowing he was never able to stop a stubborn,determined cocinero.

A bad or a worse one.

"Well,now Francis,did I ask your permission? Do I _need_  your opinion? The answer is no,now get outta my bed,there's hardly any space for me as it is." Arnoldo let go of his assistant's hair,reluctantly so.

"Sí,señor." the young assistant jumped from Arnoldo's arms instantly altogether,the brunet man's hands lingering in the air.

Missing having something to touch already.

"And take that thing off,Francis!!! You're not supposed to sleep wearing it,it's not healthy." Francis' mentor said clearly referring to the teen's tight binder.

Francis dipped his head and grinned to himself,this was definitely the lesser of two evils.

"Sí,Arnoldo."

* * *

 Arnoldo cleared his throat to get the blue clad musician's attention,this was the right thing to do,for his Francis.

"Do you want to hear a story,Rulo Rolando?"

Arnoldo said somewhat sweetly to a now terrified looking guitarist.

The great cook had gotten out of bed 2 hours after his conversation with Francis.

The stubborn chef went over to his apprentice's bed,he usually didn't get to check on him like this,since Francis always woke up and started work before him,despite his troubles,the boy looked peaceful,snoring softly,embracing his bowtie pillow with both arms,closed eyelids displaying beautiful long lashes.

Arnoldo patted his loyal assistant's dark curls,smiling warmly and leaving the room,letting the teen oversleep just this once.

He can reprimand the boy about it later.

Rolando came into el Vagón Cocina early before breakfast to see if he could find Francis and talk things out,he looked miserable since he barely got any sleep last night either.

What Rolando found instead was a scarely way too friendly looking gran cocinero.

"Do I have a choice,Arnoldazo?" the blue Rulo shuddered.

"No,not really,not if you want to keep dating Mi Francis,that is.Y mi nombre és Arnoldo sólo,now sit."

Rolando gulped nervously and sat down,Arnoldo joining in the table.

Arnoldo knows,nothing good could come of thi-

"Once upon a time I met a beautiful little ballerina." Rolando's thoughts went to a halt as the great chef had apparently started his seemingly nonsensical story.

"She was talented,gifted even,she did every step flawlesly,delicate as a swan but when her performance was over,she always cried backstage,pulled hard to the kitchen by a vile man with thick eyebrows who got enjoyment out of humiliating her,hurting her-"

"Is this about someone we know or-"

"Callase la boca,I'm telling a story here!" Arnoldo pounded his fist on the table.

Rolando flounded in on himself Francis style,that was an unusual sight.

"Anyway,where was I...Oh! One fateful day I caught that same ballerina trying to steal a recipe of mine,I easily snatched it from her small,delicate hands and reprimended her,shooing her out of my kitchen,she started sobbing and pleading,getting on her knees,saying she would do anything for that recipe because she was sure that anything I could want from her wouldn't be worse than what _he_ would do if she came back with nothing to show."

Rolando was picturing the whole scenario in his head,looking horrified and now genuinely worried it might be someone they know.How is she doing today?

Did she get through this?

"She crawled closer and clutched to my legs,deep brown and green eyes staring up at me like I could be her savior.This close I could see how actually skinny she really was,I could see the barely hidden purple bruises on her skin.You know how I am,my heart is softer than manteca."

Then Arnoldo stopped,holding back his own tears and inhaling sharply,seeming to be reliving the moments as he's telling them,Rolando's heart went out to the man,he offered Arnoldo a paper towel and the large man gladly took it.

"This is harder than I thought it would be,it's been 9 years and I stiil see it clearly like it happened yesterday....I suppose it's the same,even worse for him-"

"For whom? The man?" Rolando asked,suddenly indignant,he didn't even know the little girl or this man but he already felt anger boilimg in his veins.

"No,the ballerina,nowadays he thinks he still likes ballet and even practices but he doesn't really mean it,I know him better than he does,he doesn't really want to go back to that world."

Arnoldo chuckled lightly,waving a dismissive hand.Rolando just thought he was starting to sound insane.

"Well,she was starting to reach up my pants and I stopped her immediately,offering a deal,she went back to him for the last time,with a recipe of mine in hands,not the one he requested, but disguised well enough as if it was."

"Did he find out?" Rolando was holding his breath in,curious out of his mind to know how the story ended.

He,Topa and the remaining Rulos that were listening in by the other side of the doors.

"Yes,but we were both long gone by then.I heard it was hilarious,that postre de limón  _almost_ killed him,which means it failed,too bad." Arnoldo tsked and shook his head.

Rolando chuckled but he still wanted to know more.

"So what happened to her,Arnoldini? Where is she? Is she okay?"

"I'd say so,yes,for the most part.She grew up into an immensely irresponsible,Incompetent,young man with a nose bigger than Capitán Topa's,eyebrows thicker than that man's but with beautiful curly hair that's wasted in an awful peinado partido al medio."

The words might have sounded mean,but Arnoldo had a fond smile on his round face and his dark brown eyes sparkled with affection.

Everyone gasped at the revelation,the others sheepshily entering the Vagón,Topa putting his hand over his nose,a little self conscious.

"Even then,he should still be allowed to find happiness.Just like everyone else."

With that,Arnoldo concluded his story.

Rolando was speechless,opening and closing his mouth like a fish.

"Did you hear that,the girl was Francis." Carlos stated the obvious.

"Pobreciiito,went through so muuuch,must have been painful to go from girl to boy." said Ricardo thoughtfully,most of the implied parts of the story going over his head,his statement as simple as it was,still held truth to it.

"Franciscocho....." Rolando whispered to himself,everything made so much sense now.

"Now if you'll excuse me I gotta finish making breakfast,hopefully Francis is already in the kit-"

"I'll go check."

Rolando yelled back running inside el Vagón Cocina before Arnoldo even attempted to get up from his chair.

* * *

"Francis!"

"So how the guilt-trip down memory lane go?"

The waiter said bluntly to the point.

"Come on,babe,you know that's not what happened." Rolando circled his arms over Francis' torso,bringing him closer,the waiter pouted in a childish manner.

"He just wanted you to take pity on me,I don't want that.I don't need that."

"I know you don't,I'm just really proud of you and my feelings haven't changed even a little,I still feel as lucky to have you as I did yesterday."

"¿En serio?" Francis said hesitantly,his hands going tentatively over Rolando's forearms.

"There isn't anyone else in the world I wouldn't want to make happier."

Francis smiled brightly,this time he believed him.

Rolando cupped his partner's cheek and kissed him softly,when they parted,Francis kept their foreheads conneceted,faces inches apart.

"Rolando?" the waiter breathed,almost inaudible.

"¿Sí,Franciscocho?" the guitarrist whispered back,charming smile playing on his plump,pink lips.

"I think I love you too."

**Author's Note:**

> It got out of hand and I still spent an awful lot of time on Arnoldo/Francis.  
> BUT THEY REMAINED PLATONIC!!!!  
> I deserve a medal for this,I did it!


End file.
